


When a Stray Wanders Into Your Heart

by saite_x3



Series: Kenma Ship Week [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Fluff, It's a very brief Shrek reference I swear, Kissing, M/M, One Shot, Shrek References, Supernatural Elements, mention of divorce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:28:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25545904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saite_x3/pseuds/saite_x3
Summary: Kuroo finds a stray cat and decides to feed it, befriend it, and let it spend the night indoors. He’s surprised to find out that there’s more to this small creature than meets the eye.
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Series: Kenma Ship Week [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1851139
Comments: 4
Kudos: 66
Collections: Kenma Ship Week 2020





	When a Stray Wanders Into Your Heart

**Author's Note:**

> This is my contribution for Kenma Ship Week 2020 Day 1 - Supernatural AU prompt. Enjoy! :3

A cat stared at Kuroo with inquisitive, golden eyes. The teen had just returned home from volleyball practice and found the creature perched atop the cement wall that bordered his home and the alleyway behind it. The feline continued to study him; its eyes were unflinching. A calico-colored tail flicked in sweeping arcs from behind. Kuroo stopped in his tracks next to the gate leading into his backyard, just a few steps away from the furry animal.

“Hey there, little kitty. Where’d you come from?”

The cat peered at Kuroo for a breath before turning its head away, as if it grew bored with the person standing there. The tail continued its rhythmic undulations.

Kuroo felt a chilled, autumn breeze caress his skin. The sun hung low as the sky turned a gloomy orange. It would be getting dark soon, and he had forgotten his sweater at school since he was running hot from the team’s practice drills. Goosebumps developed along the teen’s elongated and exposed limbs while empathy for the stray festered in his heart. Yet, he hesitated. 

Kuroo knew his dad had terrible allergies, and it was the primary reason why they never kept any pets in the past. But, when he pictured this small animal spending the night outside in the cold, his heart won the battle against his rational mind.

“Nah, it’ll be fine,” he said to the vacant alleyway. “I have the house to myself this weekend anyway.”

The cat’s gaze returned to Kuroo once more, curious since the teen was presumably speaking to no one.

“Wait right there,” he directed to the cat this time. “You must be hungry. I’ll bring you something really delicious to eat. I promise.”

Golden eyes followed Kuroo’s movements. He opened the gate, started a light jog up to the back door of the house, and entered. A few minutes passed before the teen came back out again. He placed a small plate on top of the cement wall but a few feet away from the cat, careful not to scare it away. 

A tiny, pink nose sniffed excitedly at the scent of charred fish that hung in the air. The cat concentrated on the dish and slowly stalked its way closer. The morsel of food found there was undoubtedly salt-grilled mackerel. The feline froze, looked over at the provider of this meal, and gave a small, squeaky mew.

Kuroo nodded with a smile. “Go ahead. It’s okay,” he encouraged.

The furry animal dived right in and feasted. Kuroo could have guessed the poor thing hadn’t eaten in at least a couple of days with how hastily it devoured the chunk of fish.

“It’s pretty good, huh? That’s my favorite, too.” A wide grin was plastered on his face.

Leaving a clean plate behind, the cat jumped down from its perch and strutted over to where Kuroo stood. Rubbing a soft head against the teen’s leg, it purred emphatically in affection.

“Do you want to come inside,” Kuroo asked gingerly. “It’s going to get pretty cold tonight, and I’m afraid I don’t have the willpower to abandon a cute kitten like you.”

He retrieved the empty dish and headed back toward the house. Quiet mewing followed closely behind him. 

* * *

Laying down in bed, Kuroo could feel exhaustion weighing down on his eyelids. Before sleep completely overtook him, he felt his small visitor jump onto the bed and curl up in the gap formed by his long arms.

“You’re really friendly now that you’ve been fed,” he teased. Long fingers scratched the feline between the ears, and it purred. Seconds later, soft snoring started emanating from the raven-haired teen. 

Kuroo woke up to hazy darkness. By the subtle light that was filtering through the curtains, he could tell morning was approaching, but it wasn’t quite sunup yet. What snapped him fully out of his half-asleep state was the realization that there was a heavy pressure on his arm. A very heavy pressure.

_Just how much does this cat freakin’ weigh,_ he wondered.

Turning his head toward the subject in question, the teenaged boy had almost screamed. Far from a simple calico cat, what greeted him instead was a delicate, sleeping, human face. Kuroo’s mouth gaped open, then shut, then opened again. He was stupefied. 

_Why is there a boy sleeping in my bed?_ His eyes drifted along the stranger’s lithe figure. _Why is there a NAKED boy sleeping in my bed? Where is the damn cat?_ Question after question raced through his head.

“Who the hell are you?!” The question was asked aloud this time.

The other boy, suddenly startled awake, opened his eyes. Kuroo saw familiar golden irises staring back at his hazel ones. 

Both teens sat up on the bed. Kuroo was surprised that there wasn’t even a hint of shame on the other boy’s face. He was still stark naked. 

“Wait, hold on a sec.” Kuroo reached over to the basket of unfolded laundry and tossed a clean t-shirt to the stranger. He mentally smacked himself, realizing he probably should have grabbed shorts instead. However, once the golden-eyed boy had the shirt on it was actually large enough on him that it covered his immodesty.

_Damn,_ Kuroo thought. _He’s actually really pretty._

The person sitting before him had a short bob of hair that was mostly blonde, except for a good chunk of dark roots that were growing out. He had a petite, yet flawless face and golden, piercing eyes that were almost cat-like. What really mesmerized Kuroo were the long lashes that swept across those eyes each time the stranger blinked. They were dazzling, sumptuous, and inhumanly perfect. 

With the way that his t-shirt draped loosely on the boy, Kuroo could tell that it hid a slim figure underneath. _He looks kinda sexy wearing my shirt, too._ The tall teen shook his head quickly, returning back to the matter at hand. “Just who the hell are you? And, what are you doing in my house?”

“I’m Kenma.” 

The blunt response was too straightforward for Kuroo to believe. “What do you mean you’re Kenma?”

“That’s my name. Kenma Kozume.” The smaller boy tilted his head slightly. Those lavish lashes swept over his eyes again while he blinked at Kuroo.

“How can you be so frank about this?”

“Well, you asked...”

Kuroo shook his head again, finding it hard to accept any of this as reality. “And, why are you in my house? How did you even get in here?”

“You let me in.” The boy’s cat-like eyes looked straight into Kuroo’s, unfaltering.

The taller teen was gripped with familiarity once more as those eyes penetrated his soul. “Are… are you the cat?!”

Kenma gave a small, silent nod.

“But, now you’re a person. But, you were a cat before. What the heck is going on?”

The smaller boy broke his gaze and turned his head, now focusing on a spot on the floor instead. “I’m cursed,” he declared quietly. “By night one way, by day another, this shall be the norm-”

“Wait wait wait,” Kuroo interrupted. “You’re just quoting Shrek now! Are you messing with me?”

“It still applies. It’s basically the same thing that happens to me. I’m cursed to be a cat in the daytime, but at night I turn back to my real body. A human body.”

Kuroo remembered how the rest of the poem went. It was extremely cliché--kisses breaking curses. But, the way the other boy spoke about his predicament just sounded so sad. So lonely.

Before any objections could be made, Kuroo quickly leaned forward and shut his eyes. He closed the space between them and pressed his lips against Kenma’s. 

The tall teenager opened his eyes, but the person who was sitting in front of him a second ago had vanished. Looking down, he saw his discarded t-shirt rumpled on the bed. Warm sunlight trickled into the room, and the pert head of a calico cat emerged from within the folds of fabric. 

“Damn,” Kuroo sighed. “I really thought that would work.”

The cat glared at him before rolling its little cat eyes.

* * *

Kuroo never thought that he would be spending his Saturday hanging out with a cat. And, Kenma in his cat form didn’t make for much conversation, so the two of them spent most of the day watching anime and variety shows on the television. Kuroo found the soft feline to be good company, laying flush against his muscled thigh when he slumped down on the couch. A pang of guilt tugged at his heart as he thought about his failed attempt to break Kenma’s curse.

“I could have told you that it wasn’t going to work,” Kenma said immediately once nightfall arrived again, and he returned to his human form. This time, Kuroo had a fresh set of sleep clothes ready for him. 

“Sorry,” Kuroo laughed nervously. “I really thought a kiss would break your curse. You always see it in movies.”

“It’s not that simple. If it was, I probably could have broken this curse a long time ago.”

“So, what _will_ break it?”

“It’s complicated.” Kenma turned his head away, just like he did the night before. A distraught frown furrowed his brows.

Sensing unease, Kuroo didn’t want to push him any further. 

“Hey, I was wondering,” the dark-haired teen started. “Where do you usually spend your nights? I see stray cats around our neighborhood occasionally, but I’m guessing circumstances are a bit different for you...” He paused. “I mean, since you’re a naked boy at night.”

“Oh, that. I guess most nights I sleep in the playground tubes at the park, but sometimes new construction sites pop up. I’m able to find better shelter there.”

“Don’t you get pretty cold like that?”

“I suppose I’ve gotten used to it,” Kenma answered nonchalantly.

“That’s no good! It’s important to take good care of yourself, even during sleep. Coach always says that we do most of our growing when we’re asleep.”

“Sure, I’ll remember to check in at the 5-star hotel next time,” the smaller boy retorted sarcastically with a sour look.

“Wow, the little kitty has claws,” Kuroo mused before his tone turned serious again. “At least, you can stay here again tonight. My family’s out of town and they don’t get back until late tomorrow.”

“Thanks…” His voice trailed off as he gave his host a puzzled look.

“Oh, shit! I never told you my name, did I?” Kuroo’s nervous laughter returned. “Sorry, it’s Kuroo. Tetsurou Kuroo.”

“Thank you, Kuroo,” Kenma continued. “This definitely beats sleeping outside.” A warm smile brightened his face.

The taller teen felt his heart skip a beat. No one had ever smiled so brilliantly at him like that before. Kenma almost looked angelic, and it took the entirety of Kuroo’s self control to stop himself from blushing.

“Anyways, you hungry? I think we might have some salmon in the fridge,” Kuroo offered.

“With all due respect, I’d rather not have fish right now,” Kenma replied with a grimace. “Don’t get me wrong! It’s great when I’m in cat mode because it’s the only thing my stomach can really handle at the time,” he added quickly, remembering the bits of fish Kuroo fed him that day and the day before when he was in his smaller, furrier form. “I was kind of hoping to eat some regular human food. It’s been a while.”

Kuroo pondered for a brief moment, taking a quick mental inventory of what was available in the fridge and pantry. “Alright then, I’ll whip up something real good for you. I promise,” he said before scurrying to the kitchen.

“Oi, Kenma,” a deep voice boomed about an hour later. The delectable smell of grilled meat wafted throughout the house. “Food’s ready!”

Kenma joined Kuroo at the dinner table, and the meal set before him was absolutely mouth-watering. The taller teen had cooked up a thick, juicy rib eye steak and a generous serving of roasted asparagus. 

“I can’t remember the last time I had steak. It looks really good, too. Thank you, Kuroo.” Golden eyes shined with wetness, but Kenma refused to let any tears fall. 

“It’s no biggie. I was planning on cooking it this weekend anyway. Otherwise, my dad would probably forget about it and let it spoil,” Kuroo joked. “Let’s dig in.”

Both teens must have not realized just how hungry they were. The two of them started scarfing down their suppers with such speed it left little room for any talk. By the time they finished, Kuroo noticed that Kenma’s plate had a looming pile of neglected asparagus.

“Hey now, don’t forget to eat your vegetables.” He poked a bite-sized piece of the green stalks with his fork and held it in the air between them.

The smaller boy sneered at the gesture. “No way. I’m too full already.” His head shook defiantly.

“It’s not that bad. Just say ‘aah…’” 

The asparagus-adorned fork slowly encroached Kenma’s personal space. He turned his head away, refusing to give in.

“C’mon, Kenma. Veggies are good for you. You’re still a growing, young cat.” At that remark, Kenma turned back to Kuroo to give him an angry scowl, but the taller teen used the opportunity to shove the bite of food in his visitor’s mouth. 

“See? It’s good, right?” A triumphant smile on his face. 

Kenma continued to glare at him. “It’s alright,” he managed between chews.

“Well, I won’t force you anymore. Plus, I want you to save some room for dessert.” 

Kuroo cleared the dishes off the dining table and retrieved a slice of chocolate cake from the refrigerator. Cat-like eyes seemed to sparkle at the sight of it. The black-haired boy grinned; he guessed correctly that Kenma had a sweet tooth.

As Kuroo was busy setting down the cake and preparing a couple of small plates and forks for them, his house guest stealthily scraped a bit of the chocolate frosting with his fingertip. He swiftly dabbed it onto Kuroo’s nose before the taller boy had a chance to dodge.  
  


“That’s payback for earlier.” Kenma beamed, quite pleased with himself.

Hazel eyes turned mischievous and were accompanied by an equally naughty smirk. “Oh, you’ve done it now.”

Kuroo scooped up a dollop of the cake’s whipped cream topping on his finger and suddenly flicked it toward his opponent. A cold, white blob spattered on Kenma’s cheek, and a small bit also landed in his hair.

The two stared at each other for a moment, speechless.

A burst of hearty laughter broke the silence and filled the room, both boys being the source. Kenma clutched his sides in pain from laughing so hard, and Kuroo was bent over at the waist. His hand slapped his solid thigh loudly.

Kuroo couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed like this with anyone. Thinking back as far as he could remember, he wondered if it was when his parents were still living together. Back then, he still felt whole. Ever since the divorce, there was a deep chasm growing within himself, but somehow this boy he just met was helping to fill that void, bit by bit.

  
  


Kuroo tried to get rid of the nervous lump in his throat. He saw Kenma settling in for the night on his bedroom floor and wanted to protest, but his mouth was having a difficult time forming the words.

“Hey, umm, why don’t you just sleep up here with me,” he finally blurted out. Golden eyes blinked up at him curiously. “I’d feel bad if I made you sleep on the floor. And, this bed is definitely big enough for both of us, so it’s fine. Plus, we already shared the bed last night.” 

“Kuroo, you can stop explaining now.” While the taller boy rambled, Kenma had already slipped his lean figure under the covers and joined his companion in the bed’s warmth. “Goodnight, Kuroo. And, thanks again. Thanks for everything these past two days.” A small smile crossed Kenma’s lips before he drifted off to sleep.

The raven-haired teen didn’t know how long he lay awake there, watching the smaller boy’s sleeping face. It could have been an hour or two. 

“Oi, Kenma. Are you awake,” he asked quietly. No response came. The only sound in the room was that of slowed, deep breathing. “I think… I think I love you,” he whispered so quietly he almost couldn’t hear the words himself. Sleep finally washed over him.

“Kuroo. Hey, Kuroo!” The voice became clearer and clearer, waking the dark-haired teen from his slumber. His eyes peeked open slowly as he returned to consciousness, and bright daylight already filled the room. Now awake, Kuroo found Kenma staring at him, a gleeful smile evident on his face. He stared back at the boy in front of him in oblivious silence, and blinked. Then, blinked again, harder.

“Kenma! You’re not a cat!”

The smaller teen nodded enthusiastically. The smile never left his face. “You did it, Kuroo. You broke the curse!” Thin arms embraced Kuroo in a tight squeeze while warm tears rolled down Kenma’s cheeks.

“But, how? I tried kissing you the other night, and that didn’t even work. And, last night I didn’t even kiss you.” Kuroo’s mind was racing. He tried to make sense of what his brain insisted was unbelievable. 

Still holding on tight with his arms wrapped around broad shoulders, Kenma’s voice came close to Kuroo’s ear. “I already told you it has nothing to do with kisses, silly. Love broke the curse. You love me _for me_ , and you’ve freed me!” He finally released his hug, shifting his weight back so once again those golden eyes could find Kuroo’s hazel ones. A joyful smile crinkled that serene face. “And, I love you too, Kuroo.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read my work! I hope you liked it, and if you did please let me know in the comments. I wrote this for Kenma Ship Week 2020, and it's my first time participating in a fan week event. All of the prompts sound like a lot of fun, so I'm excited! Be on the lookout tomorrow for my Day 2 contribution - Coffee Shop AU.


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